


Part 6: Kyūka ni Ikkimashou (Let’s Go on Vacation!)

by aegicheezu



Series: The Sorcerer and the Court Noble: Onmyoji [7]
Category: Onmyouji | The Yin-Yang Master (Movies)
Genre: Anal Sex, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Japanese Culture, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Moving In Together, Sharing a Bed, Summer Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-03 21:32:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14005233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aegicheezu/pseuds/aegicheezu
Summary: Some time has passed; it is the season for Obon and there are many preparations to make. The Emperor has tired Seimei and Hiromasa out with his many demands and worries, and the men ask for a well-earned rest outside the capital – to their relief, he agrees. A whole month away! What will the lovers get up to?





	Part 6: Kyūka ni Ikkimashou (Let’s Go on Vacation!)

**Author's Note:**

> this is a fluffy filler fic, I'm going to be changing the nature of their story from now on - you'll see by the end! Please let me know what you think in the comments about my narrative change for our boys.

The afternoon air was oppressively warm and the cicadas were singing loudly. Today’s audience with the Emperor seemed to be taking forever – but perhaps it was simply that Seimei and Hiromasa grew tired of his many requests. For nearly two weeks in a row, the men had been summoned to the palace as everyone prepared for Obon; they spent long hours writing prayers and blessing the children, listening to the Emperor’s every concern. The festival was fast approaching; though it was true that there were many preparations to be made, the Emperor’s neediness was beginning to take its toll on the duo.

 _I’m going to ask him,_ Hiromasa said as they sat in front of him, waiting for him to finish speaking.

 _Don’t you dare say anything,_ Seimei chastised kindly. _I’ll ask him myself._

 _Well, do it quickly before he makes us move the Palace seven inches to the left!_ Hiromasa replied, fighting a smile. Seimei coughed.

“Your Highness,” Seimei said at last when the Emperor had stopped his worrying to take a breath. “The preparations are nearly complete. I would humbly request that you allow Hiromasa and I some time away from the capital to rest. In this heat, and with all the protections we have ensured, our bodies grow weak. It is necessary that we rest.”

The Emperor paused to think a moment and nodded. “Yes, Seimei, you are right,” he said. “After the festival, you have my leave to go. We have enjoyed much peace lately, I am certain that nothing will happen while you are gone.”

The men bowed in unison and left, concealing their grins all the way to the Suzaku gate where they ascended their carriage and made their way to Seimei’s home.

*

 

“That was much easier than I thought it would be,” Hiromasa remarked, slipping out of his court robes and into something thinner. “Where shall we go?”

“Somewhere near the water, I think,” Seimei replied, shaking the pins from his hair and gathering it up in a thoughtless knot at the base of his neck. “I have not seen the sea in some time.”

“Then,” Hiromasa emerged from behind the screen and kissed the top of Seimei’s forehead. “We shall go to the sea.” Seimei tilted his head for a proper kiss; Hiromasa knelt down and obliged. They sat together happily in silence for some moments, listening to the crying cicadas and watching the sun dip lower in the sky.

“I cannot wait for this infernal festival and all its preparations to be complete,” Seimei said softly after a while, a touch of undisguised annoyance in his voice. He twirled a piece of Hiromasa’s hair in his long fingers. “This Emperor grows tiresome, with his dependence on us.” 

Hiromasa smiled and pulled him close for a kiss. “Come now,” he cooed, “The Emperor is young and merely does not want any trouble.” He took Seimei’s hand in his. “And isn’t it a good thing that he favors us so?”

“I suppose you are right,” Seimei sighed, resting his chin on Hiromasa’s shoulder. “Perhaps it is simply the heat that makes my temper so short.”

“I’m sure I could fix that,” Hiromasa grinned. “Come here.”

A kiss.

*

 

Two weeks had passed since then, and the Obon festivities had come and gone smoothly. The Emperor was worried that unquiet spirits might descend up on the capital and seek to bother inattentive relatives who had forgotten to care for their ancestor’s resting places; but thankfully, the festival passed without incident. The pair were to attend one last audience with the Emperor before going on their holiday to discuss how much time they would take away – they had decided to travel to a neighboring city that was close to the sea; Seimei had heard on the wind that a large castle was being built there, and the pair wanted to see what the fuss was about.

They decided to take about a month of rest; the Emperor had been surprisingly accommodating with their demand – “I only asked for a month to see what his reaction would be!” Seimei had laughed. “Well, it worked! You should have asked him for two,” Hiromasa had replied – and they were excited to leave the capital at last.

The mood at the house had lightened considerably; they were no longer forced to rise early and dress in heavy formal robes, make the bumpy journey to the palace each morning and sit for hours entertaining the Emperor’s every worry. For the first time in weeks, they slept in until the sun was high in the sky, content to stay in the shade until the hottest hour in the day had passed. They would make the journey in a few days; there was no rush.

Hiromasa and Seimei lay on top of each other on the fresh tatami mats, soft and springy underfoot. The coolness of the mats gave them some reprieve from the oppressive late summer heat; they were glad of it. Seimei reached across to the plate of mochi, now grown soft, that Mitsumushi had left for them. He took a bite and then fed the rest to Hiromasa. The air was thick and smelled of late summer flowers.

“How pretty you look in the afternoon light,” Hiromasa smiled, sitting up. “Like a beautiful painting on silk.”

“You flatter me,” Seimei sat up and rested his head on the other man’s bare shoulder. “My handsome court noble.”

Hiromasa smiled and took Seimei’s chin in hand and kissed him. “Shall we make the journey today, Seimei? The weather seems agreeable.”

“Yes,” Seimei agreed. “Let us pack our things and set out. The journey is long, but I’m sure the time will go by quickly if you are beside me.”

*

 

The journey was indeed a long one; the horses moved slowly in the late summer heat, extending their journey by at least another two hours. Inside the carriage, though, the men did not seem to feel time pass so slowly – they contented themselves by telling stories delighting in each other’s touch, thankful for the silk screens against the small windows. They slept, too – the roads were smoother towards the port city, and after a time the sounds of the journey put them to rest.

Hiromasa was first to stir – he smelled the distinctive scent of the ocean in summertime. He blinked awake and sat up from where he had been nestled against Seimei’s chest and parted the curtain. His eyes brightened like a child when he scanned the horizon; he had not been to the sea in many years, not since he was a child. Excited, he gently nudged Seimei awake.

“Seimei, look how pretty,” he sighed happily. “I am glad you decided to come here.” He looked back at Seimei, who was rubbing his eyes awake.

He smiled and squeezed Hiromasa’s thigh. “I cannot wait to spend a whole month with you by my side with no more palace obligations,” he kissed the other man’s cheek. “How I have longed for some time away from all of that.”

Hiromasa noticed something in Seimei’s expression change. “I did not know,” Hiromasa said quietly, gently stroking Seimei’s hand in his, “I did not see how tired you were.”

Seimei smiled good-naturedly and shook his head. “It is nothing, Hiromasa, do not worry.” He sighed, betraying his fatigue. “I have lived such a long time. It is exhausting,” he could see Hiromasa’s concern and kissed him again. “But this long life is so much better now that you are by my side.”

The carriage slowed to a stop; Hiromasa smiled. “We must be here,” he declared. “Come, Seimei,” he said, giving him one last kiss before the driver opened the carriage door.

*

 

To their disappointment, though unsurprising, the inn they arrived at was nearly fully booked; they pretended to be put out when the innkeeper offered them one room to share. “It’s the end of our busy season,” he had explained. “This hot weather has kept our rooms full for much longer than usual. Everyone is coming to see the castle being built and to rest by the water.”

Thanking the old man for accommodating them, they went to their room and called for tea and snacks to be brought. They set about unpacking their things, a lightness in their step as the sea air wafted through the open door overlooking the beach.

At last alone, the men were able to relax. Hiromasa had an idea; he went over to where Seimei was fussing with a neat pile of their robes and wrapped his arms around his slim figure.

“Hmm?” Seimei tilted his head back for a kiss.

“Let’s go down to the water, Seimei,” Hiromasa suggested. “No one knows who we are, down here. We can be two average men. Isn’t that exciting?” he smiled, resting his chin against Seimei’s shoulder.

“So excited to see the water,” Seimei replied teasingly. He turned around and wrapped his arms around Hiromasa’s neck and kissed him. “Let us go down to the water,” he agreed. “How pretty your dark skin is when it shines in the hot summer sun.”

It was true; down by the water, so far away from home, they were in no danger of running into anyone from the palace. They could wear comfortable summer robes and keep their hair loose; they could speak plainly and without the frilly language of the courts. How liberating it was! The pair made their way to the beach and sat at the grilled eel stand for a while, happily munching away and observing the crowds of people.

“The seaside is so different to the capital,” Seimei observed, his tone soft and amused. “Look at the children running about, faces dirty from playing in the mud.”

Hiromasa scanned the horizon. “Do you miss your childhood days, Seimei?” he asked.

Seimei thought for a moment. “I do,” he replied honestly, a touch of wistfulness in his voice. “It has been such a very long time since I was that age, I can hardly remember it save for moments with my mother.”

The owner of the eel stand looked the men up and down and interjected, “But you’re no more than 40 years old!” He laughed and offered them another stick. “The weather is too nice for such melancholy thoughts, eat up and go enjoy the day.”

Hiromasa and Seimei laughed along with the vendor and thanked him for the extra eel. They decided to walk along the beach and people-watch some more. They resisted the urge to hold hands or even to link arms as they walked; instead they kept close enough that the wide sleeves of their robes rustled together occasionally. The sea breeze was refreshing; it blew their hair about in all directions and made them laugh. After a while, they decided to sit by the water away from the milling crowds.

“It’s beautiful here,” Seimei said at last, watching the waves crash against the shore. “I am glad we came, Hiromasa. My old soul feels at peace.”

Hiromasa wanted to rest his head against Seimei’s shoulder but refrained. Instead, he looked lovingly at the other man’s sharp profile and smiled. “We should come here more often then,” he replied. “I love to see you so happy. We have never been this far from the capital together before.” He looked out at the blue expanse and sighed happily.

“Perhaps that is the reason for my happiness,” Seimei said, tilting his head back and letting his hair tickle his shoulders. “Though we are duty bound to protect the capital, I think my happiest moments are when I am away from that place… with you.” He turned to look at Hiromasa, who was fighting a blush. “You truly have made my life so much better.”

“Seimei,” Hiromasa was touched. “hearing you say that, it makes my heart burst.” He leaned in close and lowered his voice, thankful for the noise of the waves to disguise him. “I love you.”

“And I love you,” Seimei smiled back.

*

 

For the next few days, the men indulged in every pleasure they could think of; they played games of catch with local children in town, ate hitsumabushi from a stall on the beach, slept in until the afternoon sun turned the sky pink. They spent so much time on the beach that even Seimei’s naturally pale skin began to turn a beautiful golden – a fact that did not slip from Hiromasa’s attention when they lay together on the mats back in their rooms.

“Look how the sun has blessed your skin, my beautiful magician,” he whispered, kissing up and down Seimei’s neck softly, making him shiver.

“Do I look like a child of the seaside now?” Seimei teased, wrapping his arms around Hiromasa, bringing him closer. They looked into each other’s eyes for a short while, hips pressed together.

“You smell like salt,” Hiromasa noted, smiling. “It suits you.” Hiromasa kissed him deeply and slipped a hand underneath the folds of his thin robe, caressing his thigh. He growled longingly into Seimei’s ear, “I want to remember how beautiful you look, just like this.” Seimei arched his back at the other man’s touch beneath his robe, making Hiromasa grin. He took Seimei in his hand and slowly began to stroke him, taking his time and making Seimei squirm in delight.

“Hiro… masa…” Seimei muttered, eyes half-closed, “do not tease me so… I want you…”

“Tell me again,” Hiromasa replied, voice husky. He wrapped an arm around Seimei’s waist and propped him up on all fours. “Tell me again and I will give you what you need…”

Seimei arched his back and looked back at Hiromasa and grinned wantonly, hair covering his eyes. “I need you inside me… my handsome court noble…”

Hiromasa bent forward and kissed Seimei deeply, and positioned himself behind him, parting his legs. He reached around and took hold of Seimei, stroking. Seimei’s moans spurred him on; he could not wait any longer. He slowly pushed himself inside, making both men groan with delight. He began to thrust rhythmically, taking hold of Seimei’s long hair in his fist and pulling, arching Seimei’s back further and making him cry out in pleasure.

 

The cicada’s deafening cries masked the hungry sounds of the men.

*

 

It had been a few weeks; though still warm, the nights had begun to turn a little cooler. The eighth month was almost at an end. The inn’s patrons had begun to vacate slowly, returning to wherever they came from. Still, Seimei and Hiromasa stayed, enjoying the increasing solitude of the place.

Tonight, the moon had risen high in the sky and seemed to mock the stars with its bright fullness. The men decided to walk along the beach and admire the stars. They were quite alone; the seas were very choppy and the waves crashed loudly – and in the dark, it was easy to walk together undetected. They entwined their hands together and snuck kisses as they traversed the sand.

“Hiromasa,” Seimei said at last, “I confess, I do not want to return to the capital.”

Hiromasa did not slow his pace, but looked at the other man. “Seimei?” he questioned. “What do you mean? We must return.”

“Must we, Hiromasa?” he sighed. “These last few weeks, we have rested by the water, played with the village children, and been freer than we could ever be at court. Something about the sea seems to tug at my ancient heart.”

They stopped walking and sat on the still-warm rocks by the water. Seimei rested his head against Hiromasa’s shoulder, thankful for their solitude. He sighed again.

“Seimei, you’ve said it yourself,” Hiromasa said softly. “We are duty-bound to protect the capital. Until such time as the gods present us with another path…”

“I know what I said,” Seimei interjected, voice tired. “I just wonder if we cannot somehow help the gods to set out another path for us.”

“Are such things possible?” Hiromasa wondered, looking up at the moon. “We cannot move the gods to do as we want.”

“Did we not succeed in helping Susa-no-o return to his sister?” Seimei reminded him, turning his gaze to the moon along with Hiromasa. “Did we not influence them, then?” he added, softly. He held Hiromasa’s hand tightly in his own. “Hiromasa,” he continued, “I want to give you the life you have dreamed of. I want us to be able to sleep in, and travel, and make children laugh with shikigami tricks, and eat grilled eel on the beach with you.”

Hiromasa was touched by Seimei’s true feelings. He smiled. “Seimei,” he kissed the top of his head, “I will follow you wherever it is that you choose to go. I will be by your side whatever we do, from now on. Forever.”

“Would you miss the court?” Seimei asked earnestly. “You have known no other life, you grew up within the walls of the palace.”

Hiromasa thought for a moment. “I have never felt more at home than when I am with you,” he replied. “I do not think I would miss it.”

Seimei looked around, making sure they were alone. “Hiromasa, kiss me.”

Hiromasa obeyed, taking Seimei’s face in his hands and kissing him deeply. After a time, they rested their foreheads together and looked into each other’s eyes. The crashing waves were deafening, but the men seemed unaffected.

“Hiromasa,” Seimei said after a while, “when we return home… would you move in?”

Hiromasa smiled and kissed Seimei’s nose. “I would be happy to,” he replied without hesitation. “I’m sure we can make something up so the Emperor doesn’t suspect.”

“You are not concerned about what the Ministers would think?”

“I have never cared about the approval of the Ministers,” Hiromasa grinned. “why should I start now?” He stroked Seimei’s cheek and looked into his eyes, seeing how tired he must have been. “Seimei, you have lived so long in service to the Emperor. Of course, you are tired. I only want you to be happy. I will go with you to the ends of the earth to make your wish come true.”

Seimei smiled, eyes sparkling with love. “Do you mean that, Hiromasa?” He held Hiromasa’s hand to his cheek and sighed. “How dear you are to me…”

“And you to me,” Hiromasa replied. “Shall I swear it to you, again?” He looked at the moon. “I have already pledged the moon to you,” he kissed Seimei’s cheek. “tell me, is there a more powerful binding spell than that?” The men smiled at each other, breathing in the sea air.

After a moment, Seimei replied, “marry me, Hiromasa.”

Hiromasa’s eyes widened. “Seimei…?” he questioned.

Seimei took his chin and kissed him. “Marry me, Hiromasa.”

Hiromasa smiled; he wrapped his arms around the other man’s slim frame and curled his fingers around the base of his neck, holding him close. “Of course I will, Seimei. I never want to leave your side.” He kissed Seimei’s cheek. “Of course, I will marry you.”

 

The moon, watching over them, seemed to glow a little brighter.


End file.
